Surfacing Leaders What Growing Sweet Corn Teaches Us About Leadership with Selena Virden
In this episode of the Surfacing Leaders podcast, host Marc Koehler sits down with Selena Virden, Vice President of Global Seed Production at IFSI, a leader in vegetable seed genetics.
Selena shares her remarkable journey from a teenager juggling multiple jobs in rural Idaho to leading complex, global seed operations that help feed millions. With clarity and humility, she unpacks how long-term vision, technical precision, and human-centered leadership converge in her world, where decisions made today impact harvests seven years into the future.
The conversation explores how Selena fosters agility, autonomy, and alignment across international teams, and how she’s embraced growth as both a professional and a person. She shares what leadership looks like when stakes are high and conditions are unpredictable—from global droughts to shifting regulations and how she empowers her team to thrive despite the unknowns.
Listeners will come away with insights on:
– Building leadership confidence through mentorship and self-awareness
– Navigating ambiguity without losing precision
– Creating psychological safety to support team ownership and innovation
Join us to learn how Selena leads with intention and authenticity—growing people, crops, and purpose along the way.
Connect with Selena Virden:
Selena on LinkedIn